Paris Memories

Everyone remembers their first trip to Paris.

Mine was in August of 2019, just a few months before the COVID sky started to fall. And for me, the city was magical. Yes, that’s such a cliche, and yes, we were there in the heat of summer and height of the tourist season. But Paris was everything I’d always dreamed it to be: mysterious, steeped in the history of centuries, filled with art and culture.  In other words, pure magic. 

With vaccination beginning to spread, we’re daring to hope there might soon be an end to this terrible pandemic. We’re as anxious as ever to get back to our traveling lifestyle, but we’re also wondering if travel will ever be the same – at least, the free and carefree travel we had so taken for granted before.  Until we get to find out first-hand, we’ll keep reminiscing about some of our favorite journeys from the past.

Here’s our blog post of Paris memories from that trip, dusted off a bit. (As usual, many of our photos are in galleries – just click through to see bigger versions.)

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Four Days in Paris 

These are the parameters: You have five sleeps and four full days in Paris. One of you has been before, but it was almost 20 years ago. The other has never been and has a significant (ahem) birthday to celebrate. And the birthday person is as wide-eyed as any Paris newbie can be and wants to hit all the major tourist spots. A tall order, right? 

Here are our Paris memories from August 2019. Of course we couldn’t do everything, but we had a marvelous time even without our luggage (that’s a whole other story!). Best of all, we know we’ll be back. And with some of the more overcrowded touristy things out of the way, we’ll have time to dig in deeper at some of our favorite sites (hello, Louvre) and get away from the beaten path.   

Here’s our must-do list for Paris if you only have a few days.

1. Get a Paris Pass.

This will save you lots of time by giving you fast-track access to the most-visited tourist attractions and also unlimited access to the Metro and other public transit.

2. Ride the hop-on, hop-off bus on your first day.

These open-air, double-decker buses might seem a little cheesy, but they’re a great way to get oriented and learn about sites you’ll want to return to later on your own. There are a few operators, but we chose Big Bus Tours. A single-day ticket includes unlimited ons and offs for two routes and is included in the Paris Pass. After hopping off for lunch, spending time at the Arc de Triomphe (included in the Paris Pass), and visiting a couple of other quick sites, we spent a good part of our first day on the bus.

Day 1 Photo Highlights

We’re really here! At the Arch de Triomphe

The French colours fly proudly under the Arch

Arch detail

Climbing to the top of the Arch

Panoramic view from the top of the Arch, with the Champs de Elysees in the center

Detail, Palais Garnier – the Paris Opera House

Even the drugstores ooze with history

Swan and St. Denis Streets

A row of red bikes exudes Paris charm

Voltaire lived and died in this house.

Who knew the Eiffel Tower was so ornate?

An awe-inspiring look up, under the Eiffel

The Eiffel casts a mighty shadow at twilight.

View of Sacré-Cœur Basilica from atop the Eiffel

3. Visit the Louvre and the Musee D’Orsay. 

Paris is a city of museums, but if you have only a few days, these two should be at the top of your list. Also, know that each is worthy of several days on its own, so give yourself permission to choose one or the other. We wanted to hit both, with the idea that we’ll be back someday to spend more time. And it’s a good thing, too, since we spent about four hours at each museum and barely skimmed the surface. In fact, we never really got out of the ancient Greek statuary in the Louvre (it was just TOO fantastic to breeze through!). Check their opening days, since, at this writing, the Orsay is closed on Monday and the Louvre is closed on Tuesday. 

A few more notes about the Louvre:

• We made sure to be there right at opening and got lucky – there was virtually no line at the main entrance to go through the metal detectors. (This line – the one at the famous I.M. Pei pyramid – can be insanely long at times). From there, we were able to walk right in with our Paris Passes. 
• Our bike tour guide showed us a “secret” entrance that few people know about. Of course, this was the day AFTER we visited the Louvre! (But it will come in handy next time.) Look for the entrance down to the underground shopping mall, Le Carrousel du Louvre, near the Arch de Triomphe du Carrousel. (Don’t confuse this with the bigger and much more famous Arch, several blocks to the northwest). Once you’re down the escalators, walk past the shops and the famous “inverted pyramid” and you’ll see the entrance with little or no line.
• OF COURSE you should see da Vinci’s La Gioconda, the Mona Lisa. Just be prepared for two things: it will take a significant chunk out of your time budget, and – frankly – she’s a bit underwhelming. Even with our quick entry, it STILL took an hour to get through the line to see her. She seems so small and unassuming, especially in her current temporary location in a hall of huge paintings. Plus, the surly security guards rushed us by with barely a chance to take a picture. We’re glad we saw her, but honestly, we’re glad she’s ticked off the list. (By the way, here’s an interesting article I came across about the existence of another Mona Lisa.)
• We made an unexpected discovery – a fantastic exhibit deep under the Sully section, where they’ve excavated some of the original Louvre castle walls and part of the dungeon dating back to medieval times. Fascinating.

4. Get high at sunset. 

Hold on, that’s not what it sounds like! Twilight and into dusk is when the City of Lights is at its most magical, in our opinion. It’s the best time of day to experience the views from on high, which we were able to do from both the top deck of the Eiffel Tower with champagne (happy birthday, Susan!) and the dome of Sacré-Cœur Basilica on Montmartre hill. NOTE:  The Eiffel Tower and Sacré-Cœur are NOT included in the Paris Pass. Your best bet for the Eiffel is to buy skip-the-line tickets in advance, here. Trust us, this will save you a TON of time. Sacré-Cœur is easy to see in late afternoon.

5. See Paris from the Seine

Viewing Paris landmarks from the Seine is not to be missed, and we had two opportunities. First, we took a late afternoon (that radiant LIGHT again!) boat tour aboard the Bateaux Parisiens, included in the Paris Pass. And for Susan’s big birthday, we celebrated with a sunset dinner cruise aboard Le Calife. This small-ish and lovely boat, originally launched in 1939, is oozing with atmosphere. It’s a cozy and romantic setting to enjoy an outstanding dinner and stunning nighttime views of the Eiffel Tower and other riverfront sights.

Day 2 Photo Highlights

Near the main Louvre entrance

The world’s most famous enigma with a few hundred of her fans

Some of the walls of the original Louvre castle, underneath the Sully wing

Monumental bronze statue in the Louvre’s Cour Marly

Another lady that hardly needs introduction: the Venus de Milo

Towering statue of Athena, Greek goddess of wisdom and courage

Diana, Goddess of the Hunt

The Great Sphinx of Tanis. This has been in the Louvre since 1826! I couldn’t help but feel like it belongs back in Egypt.

Later, aboard the Bateaux Parisiens . . . no, it wasn’t this boat!

We passed under several of the city’s monumental bridges. This beauty is the Pont Alexandre III.

The forlorn Notre Dame Cathedral, shrouded in scaffolding

From the river, we noticed these names on the Eiffel. They are noted scientists and engineers that contibuted to the tower’s design and construction.

The willow at the tip of the Île de la Cité, bathed in late-afternoon sunlight

Lots of folks out enjoying the beautiful weather on the riverbank . . .

Still later, on the dinner cruise . . .

A dinner to remember

This was a mistake, but I like it!

We had a lovely time and celebrated an old lady’s birthday!

6. Do a bicycle tour.

On Day Three of our four days in Paris, we joined up with Fat Tire Tours for a three-hour ride to take in key points of interest on both sides of the Seine. Our guide Chris was extremely knowledgeable and full of insider tips (like the secret Louvre entrance above). We were able to learn interesting tidbits about key landmarks such as the Military Academy and Les Invalides, and we covered a lot more ground than we could have on foot. We enjoyed this tour so much that we took another Fat Tire tour in Versailles.  

7. Visit the Catacombs.

Formerly quarries that supplied much of the stone for medieval Paris, these vast underground tunnels house the mortal remains (think artfully arranged femurs and skulls) of something like six million people! The Catacombs are as creepy and fascinating as they sound, and not to be missed. One caveat: Be prepared to descend 131 circular steps and then climb another 112 to get back out – there’s no elevator.

Day 3 Photo Highlights

Chris, the bike tour leader, at a stop in front of the Louvre

Les Invalides church, where Napolean is supposedly interred (although there are rumors to the contrary)

The Military Academy with the Eiffel in the background

The Champ de Mars

Monument to Louis Pasteur

Tuileries Garden with the Louvre in the background

Tuileries Garden birdies

Detail, Alexandre III bridge

Dem bones . . .in the Catacombs

The corridors were filled with sayings in French or Latin. Here’s a poetic sample: “So all things pass upon the earth Spirit, beauty, grace, talent Ephemeral as a flower Tossed by the slightest breeze.”

So many skulls and femurs!

8. Don’t skip the Île de la Cité. 

The Île de la Cité is probably best-known as the site of Notre Dame Cathedral, which is undergoing a massive restoration after the catastrophic fire in April 2019. When we were there, the Cathedral was still shrouded in scaffolding and looked terribly sad. It’s great to see that they’re making some real progress on the restoration now – here’s a story about it from last November.

Although we couldn’t get near Notre Dame, we did explore two more gems on the Île: Sainte Chapelle and the adjacent Palace of Justice. Small and accessible, the Sainte Chapelle is a stunning Gothic church that dates back almost EIGHT FREAKING CENTURIES, with stained glass that will take your breath away. The elaborate Palace of Justice also has medieval sections dating back many centuries and, until 2018, housed the Paris Law Courts.

After we toured the Sainte Chapelle, we wandered over to the Palace and went a little rogue, finding our way into some creepy abandoned courtrooms and offices that apparently haven’t been touched since the Law Courts people left, over a year ago! There’s also a museum (that we didn’t see) in the former prison where Marie Antoinette was held just before she lost her head on the guillotine. 

If you’re visiting these two sites around lunchtime or just looking to have an Aperol spritz (Susan’s new favorite cocktail) and catch your breath, the Brasserie les Deux Palais is a great choice – it’s right across the street. 

Day 4 Photo Highlights

Interior, Musée d’Orsay

One of the d’Orsay’s two landmark clocks, presiding over Bartholdi’s mini Lady Liberty

The big hand is on the . . .

François Pompon’s famous Polar Bear

Renoir’s Dance at Le Moulin de la Galette

Degas’ Dancers in Blue

One of my favorites – Van Gogh’s L’Église d’Auvers-sur-Oise

Needs no introduction . . .

John enjoys some cafe society

The main entrance to the Palace of Justice, with Sainte Chapelle on the left

This is the oldest clock in Paris – dating to (holy cow) 1371! It still keeps perfect time at the Palace of Justice.

Ancient stained glass in Sainte Chapelle

This little chapel is just stunning!

Rose Window, Sainte Chapelle

Detail, Sainte Chapelle stained glass

Main corridor, Palace of Justice

We went “off the reservation” in the Palace of Justice and found some areas that were abandoned in 2018.

Someone important must have had this office. Why didn’t he or she take the law books?

Order in the court!

So strange to see deserted office equipment crammed up against monuments and historic statuary

Montmartre at twilight

Sacré-Cœur Basilica. We climbed to the top of the large dome.

Beautiful niche inside Sacré-Cœur Basilica

John captured this fantastic image of sunlight through the stained glass

Panoramic view from the top of the Basilica

Detail from Basilicat lookout

What are we saving for next time?

• We LOOVE street markets, but just couldn’t fit them in on this trip. Here’s a great blog post from our friends at Twisper about how to navigate the universe of Parisian markets. This will definitely be our guide for the next trip!
• Touring Les Invalides, the sprawling military museum complex and chapel where Napoleon’s remains are (supposedly) interred.
• Touring the Palais Garnier – the Paris Opera House – and maybe seeing a show there. 
• Spending at least a day really digging into the Louvre.
• Getting lost among Auguste Rodin’s iconic statuary at the Rodin Museum. 
• Wandering the back streets of Montmartre.
• Notre Dame. We might be in a for a long wait on that one, but did see one recent story that they hope to have it back open to visitors by 2024.
• Uncovering more gems on the Île de la Cité. 

A Few More Tips

• Location, location. Try to stay in as central a location as possible, preferably close to a Metro station. We loved our hotel, the Relais des Halles, located in the 1st Arrondissement. It’s about a 15-minute walk to the Louvre and other key sites. It’s also two blocks from the huge Châtelet – Les Halles transportation complex, where we fetched up after taking the train from Orly airport after our flight from Madrid.
• Warm up those walking shoes. To do all the things we list above with only four days in Paris means you will have to hoof it – a lot. And be ready to climb plenty of stairs. According to our fitness apps, we walked an average of seven miles every day!
• Use Metro. Taxis are super-expensive in Paris, but Metro goes just about everywhere (and you have unlimited access with your Paris Pass). It’s a great way to save time and give yourself a break from walking. Our favorite Metro station, Etienne Marcel, is on the super-useful 4 line and only a block from our hotel.
  

  

• Fave restaurants: Mobilis in Mobili (great seafood, especially shellfish), Robert et Louise (60-year-old hole in the wall with fantastic steaks), Le Cafe de Paris near the Arc de Triomphe, and the before-mentioned Brasserie les Deux Palais. 

In Short

We crammed as much as we possibly could into our four days in Paris, and we got a real flavor for the city and a 10,000-foot overview of its incredible history. From Paris, we headed to Versailles for a few days before flying back to Madrid for a wonderful and fascinating week. Check out our posts Five Things We Loved About Versailles and Madrid for First-Time Visitors. 

We’d love to know how other visitors have approached a short visit to Paris. What did you see, and what did you leave out? What can’t you wait to see, on your next trip? Let us know!

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With Paris currently under its latest lockdown, there’s no way to know when or if will be possible to have this kind of experience there again. But our Paris memories from that first trip will never fade.

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